Building Works Reinstatement Project Update - November '24
ARTICLE / 29th Nov 2024
Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) is an integral part of the preparation of students for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life. It aims to help students develop skills, attitudes and abilities which will enable them to be effective in a variety of occupations and roles. It also helps students make informed decisions during the key transition points both during school and Post-16. Expectations are set high so that every student acquires the attributes that employers’ value, thus realising their potentials, increasing competitiveness and supporting social mobility.
At Aylesford School we are committed to supporting and guiding our students through their decision-making and making choices about their future pathways. We also support and encourage the school’s core values of Ambition, Resilience and Kindness.
Careers Staff:
Our SLT Careers Lead is Mrs Maughan. Our school Careers Advisor and Guidance Officer is Mrs Jordan. Mrs Jordan is based in the Careers Office which is in the Library.
If you have any queries about Careers please contact Mrs Jordan.
Email: jordan.a@aylesfordschool.org.uk
Telephone: 01926 747100
We are committed to implementing a careers programme that supports students to make informed decisions about their future by providing independent information and guidance and by raising aspirations.
Students will:
Aylesford School is committed to meeting the eight Gatsby Benchmarks to ensure that all of our students benefit from a high quality Careers programme.
1) A stable careers programme
An embedded programme of careers education and guidance that is known and understood by pupils, parents, teachers, governors and employers.
2) Learning from career and labour market information
Every student, and their parents, should have access to good quality information about future study options and labour market opportunities. They will have the support of an informed adviser to make the best use of the available information.
3) Addressing the needs of each pupil
Students have different career guidance needs at different stages. Opportunities for advice and support should be tailored to the needs of each pupil. The careers programme should embed equality and diversity considerations throughout.
4) Linking curriculum learning to careers
All teachers should link curriculum learning with careers. STEM subject teachers should highlight the relevance of STEM subjects for a wide range of future career paths.
5) Encounters with employers and employees
Every student should have multiple opportunities to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace. This could be through a range of enrichment activities including visiting speakers, mentoring and enterprise schemes.
6) Experiences of workplaces
Every student should have first- hand experiences of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing and / or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities and to expand their networks.
7) Encounters with further and higher education
All students should understand the full range of learning opportunities that are available to them. This includes both academic and vocational routes and learning in schools, colleges, universities and in the workplace.
8) Personal guidance
Every student should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a career adviser, who could be internal (a member of staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level. These opportunities should be available whenever significant study or career choices are being made. They should be expected for all pupils but should be timed to meet their individual needs.
All pupils in Years 7-13 are entitled to:
Careers education takes place during Year Periods when the timetable is collapsed across all years. These sessions start in Year 7 and build up in terms of allocated time as students’ progress through the year groups. These sessions include:-
Extra time is spent during assembly, tutor time and Home-Link evenings at key points of transition i.e. Year 9 into 10, Year 11 into 12 and Year 13 and beyond. Many of these opportunities allow adults from a variety of career backgrounds to work with and inspire our students. We also invite ex-students to return and talk about their experiences. We recognise the importance of real-life contacts within the world of work.
All students have access to Unifrog, an online platform for pupils to find out about the different post-16 and post-18 opportunities, from further and higher education to apprenticeships and employment.
Mock interviews with a variety of employers and Governors are offered to all Year 11 students and any Sixth Former who need additional support and guidance. Prior to this, students have the opportunity to write a CV and letter of application as well as preparing for interview.
Sixth Form students are supported in making decisions concerning Higher or Further Education, or alternative routes such as apprenticeships or employment after Year 13. This support includes talks by outside speakers, apprenticeship fairs and attendance at selected, appropriate, special events.
Teaching staff will also support students with appropriate advice, information and guidance when asked as Careers Education Information Advice and Guidance at Aylesford School is a whole school approach. Links with local and national employers and other organisations such as Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership and Skills for Employment also enhance the careers information, advice and guidance which is available to the students.
Students are also offered personalised careers advice and guidance during a Careers Interview, to help them make the best choices.
Careers Plan 2024-2025Careers Education Information Advice and Guidance Policy
Unifrog is an online resource that we subscribe to. It contains a wide range of information about opportunities for students after they have finished school. Students can explore their careers that may interest them by completing profile quizzes based around their personality, interests and skills or by selecting their favourite subjects. Students can also use Unifrog to explore university and apprenticeship opportunities as well as for support with applications.
We use the Unifrog Placements tool to manage the Work Experience administration.
Students can log into Unifrog by following the link in an email sent by Unifrog. They can request that the email is resent by clicking on ‘Resend welcome email’ on the Unifrog sign in page. The welcome email will be sent to their school email address.
Additional information about Unifrog will be shared with students in tutor time, year periods and on Synergy. We will also share information with parents on Synergy.
This year, Work Experience will take place between Tuesday 8th and Thursday 10th July.
We will be sharing more information about Work Experience 2025 with you shortly.
Work Experience offers students the opportunity to go into a workplace and discover what it is like to work.
Work experience has many benefits for students:
Pupils are given information about the Work Experience process in assemblies and Year Periods. This information will also be available to students and parents on Synergy. It includes information about finding a Work Experience placement, completing the appropriate Work Experience paperwork and preparing for the placement which covers our expectations of students on placement along with Health and Safety and Safeguarding guidance.
If you have any questions or queries about work experience please contact Mrs Jordan.
The updated provider access legislation (PAL) has now been enacted. It specifies schools must provide at least six encounters with approved providers of apprenticeships and technical education for all their students:
This new legislation will become a key mechanism to further help learners understand and take-up, not just apprenticeships, but wider technical education options such as T-Levels and Higher Technical Qualifications.
At the end of the academic year we track the destinations of our school leavers and report NEETs (the students who are not in education, employment or training).
Each term we complete the Compass Audit to monitor our progress against each of the Gatsby Benchmarks and identify our areas of strength as well as areas for development.
Students are asked to review and feedback on the Careers Programme at the end of the academic year so that areas of development can be identified. Students are also asked to provide feedback on specific events, such as Enterprise Days, to inform future planning and improve future events.
We aim to provide you with useful careers education, advice and opportunities during your time at Aylesford School that will help prepare you to make well-informed decisions about your future education and career.
In addition to the information we cover in tutor time, assemblies and Year Periods, there is a wide range of information available for you to explore, some of it is very general and will be useful if you are trying to find out what options are available to you, while other information is very specific and will support you when you have made a decision and need more information to help you.
UnifrogStart ProfileProspectsicouldCareerpilotNational Careers ServiceCareermapSkills for CareersI can be aCareersboxStudentialBright Knowledge
Apprenticeships (Government website)Find an Apprenticeship (Government website)Unifrog ApprenticeshipsUCAS ApprenticeshipsApprenticeship jobs (ucas.com)www.ratemyapprenticeship.co.ukStudent LadderNational Apprentice Week 2024, 5th-11th Feb 24All about school leaversCoventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce
UCASThe Complete University GuideWhat UniStudent FinanceThe Uni GuideStudent Minds
Not Going to UniNCVOEtrust - The year in industry
SpringpodSpeakers for SchoolsDigdata
Student LadderBBC Bitesize CareersUnifrog - CVHow do I write a great CV and covering letter? - BBC BitesizeHow to write a student CV - The Complete University Guide10 smarter ways to find a job - Save the StudentCoventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce
We endeavour to provide students with useful careers education, advice and opportunities throughout their time at Aylesford, from Year 7 to Year 13. We aim to prepare students to make well-informed decisions about their education and career and that parents/carers want to support their children in their decision making. There is a vast amount of information available for parents/carers and we have selected some sources of information that may be useful to you.
UnifrogThe Careers Writers Association Parental GuidanceCoventry and Warwickshire Careers Hub Parents Zone
Rate my Apprenticeship - Parents Advicehttps://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/influencers/resources-for-parentsThe Parents Guide to National Apprenticeship Week - 5th-11th Feb 24
Student Minds - support for parents
16 to 19 Bursary Fund: Overview (Government website)Career Seekers Direct - Funding Scholarships and BursariesStudent Finance (Government website)
Teaching careers as part of the curriculum has a dual purpose: (1) to provide careers education as part of the school’s careers and enterprise provision; and (2) to enhance the whole curriculum with the addition of career-relevant content. The careers curriculum can be taught ‘as a subject’ and ‘through other subjects’ to promote the career learning, development and wellbeing of students. Careers in the whole curriculum can be ‘embedded in subject learning’ and delivered ‘through co-curricular activities’ to promote subject learning and the overall personal and social development and wellbeing of students. In practice, the boundaries between these components of careers in the curriculum are blurred. (Source: The Careers and Enterprise Company).
The following resources off support in embedding careers in the curriculum.
UnifrogThe Careers and Enterprise CompanyAll About School Leavers - Teachers Apprenticeship Advice
National Careers Week - 4th - 9th MarchNational Apprentice Week 2024 - 5th - 11th Feb 24Green Careers Week - 4th - 8th March 2024
Good Career Guidance - Linking curriculum learning to careersCoventry and Warwickshire Careers Hub - Linking curriculum learning to careersThe Careers and Enterprise Company - My learning my futureCareerpilot - KS4 Subject Specific Resources Booklet
We welcome local businesses and organisations. We host a variety of careers events each year including:
If you would like to support our careers events please contact Mrs Ann Jordan, email Jordan.a@aylesfordschool.org.uk
or
We can also share details of apprenticeships and job opportunities you may have.